Easy to read Italian proverbs
Italian proverbs
"A caval donato non si guarda in bocca."
Translation: "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."
Meaning: "It is not worth or right to judge a gift, just accept it."
"A chi dai il dito si prende anche il braccio."
Literal translation: "Give them a finger and they'll take an arm"
Idiomatic translation: "Give them an inch and they'll take a mile."
"Aiutati che Dio ti aiuta."
Literal translation: "Help yourself and God will help you."
Idiomatic translation: "God helps those who help themselves."
(Also known in the form "Aiutati che il ciel ti aiuta.", literal translation: "Help yourself and Heaven will help you.")
"Al contadino non far sapere quanto è buono il cacio con le pere."
Translation: "Don't tell a peasant how well cheese goes with pears."
(Also known in the form "Al contadino non far sapere quanto è buono il formaggio con le pere.",
translation is the same, but "formaggio" is the more common Italian noun for "cheese".)
"Il bue che dice cornuto all'asino"
Translation: "The ox saying 'horned' to the donkey"
Idiomatic translation: "The pot calling the kettle black"
Note: Italian double meaning: "cornuto" is a colloquial expression for "cuckold"
(A cuckold is a married man with an adulterous wife. Due to the word's original meaning,
a man who is unwittingly raising another man's child, it refers to a man who is unaware
of the infidelity. Because of this association, it is one of the few masculine specific
words in the English language without a feminine counterpart. In current
usage it sometimes refers to non-married couples in committed relationships, although this
is not the traditional meaning. A man who knows and acquiesced in his wife’s taking of
another lover was called a wittol, itself a derivation from the Middle English
for "witting (as in knowing) cuckold.")
"Cane che abbaia non morde."
Literal translation: "The dog that barks doesn't bite."
Idiomatic translation: "The barking dog seldom bites."
"Chi dorme non piglia pesci."
Literal translation: "Those who sleep don't catch any fish"
Idiomatic translation: "The early bird catches the worm."
"Chi fa da sé, fa per tre."
Translation: "He who works by himself does the work of three (people)."
Idiomatic translation: "If you want something done, do it yourself."
Note: ironically contradicted by: "L'unione fa la forza" ("Union
Translation: "He who perseveres wins at last."
Chi tardi arriva, male alloggia.
Translation: "Who came in late, finds a bad accomodation"
"Chi trova un amico, trova un tesoro."
Translation "He who finds a friend finds a treasure."
"Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano."
Translation: "He who goes slowly goes safely and goes far."
"Dai nemici mi guardo io, dagli amici mi guardi Iddio!"
Literal translation: "I (can) protect myself from my enemies; may God protect me from my friends!"
Translation: "With friends like these, who needs enemies!"
"Dare a Cesare quel che è di Cesare, dare a Dio quel che è di Dio."
Literal translation: "Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, give to God what belongs to God."
Translation: "Give credit where credit is due."
Last edited by Villa; 05-19-2009 at 05:59 AM.
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